Packer



F. J. SPANG P'ACKER Filed Aug. 27', 1956 INVENqToR 9W?? vpanal Nov. 15, 1938 e 2,136,597v

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE `PACKER.

Ferdinand J. Spang, Butler, Pa. Application August 27, 1936, Serial No. 98,158

14 Claims. (Ol. 166-10) This invention relates to well packers, and velocity of the gas isObtained above the top of more particularly to improvementsin packers the packer element whereby the packing element of the type adapted'to be used in packing exis maintained in a zone of reduced velocities havtremely deep wells producing a large volume of ing a lower rate of' flow and is protected from natural gas and having a relatively high rock excessive whipping action. 5

pressure. f f These and other objects which will be herein- Inthe production of natural gas after the well after made apparent to those skilled in this parhas been drilled through the gas producing ticular art are accomplished by means of this formation a string of tubing, having a packer invention, one. embodiment of which is described located therein, is run into the well and the in the following specification and illustrated in 10 packer is set to conne the flow of gas from the the accompanying drawing, wherein: Well to the string of tubing. Figure 1 is a view in vertical section through Two types of packers are generally employed, a well bore having a packer made in accordance both of which areprovided with rubber packing with my invention lowered thereinto and illuselements. In the conventional type of packer, trates lthe relation of the packer elements to the 15 the rubber packing element is confined between wall of the well bore. two shoulders which limit its travel, While in all Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the packer taken other types of packers the upper end of the on line II-II ofFig. 1. packing element is'left free and unsupported.' Fig. 3 is a. sectional View of the well bore and 2G However, with either type of packing elepacker showing the packer in its expanded or 20 ment it is diiiicult to lower the packer into the set position. well without inilictingv considerable damage Fig. `i is an enlarged perspective view of the thereto, especially when large volumes of gas metallic ring used to protect the upper endof under high pressure are owing through l the the packing element. Y

casing, since the gas exertsla considerable wiping Fig. 5 iS an enlarged Sectional View taken 0n 25 action on the packing element. The wiping line V-V of Fig. 2. action of the gas on the packing element of the Referring to the drawing in detail, W repreconventional type packer tends to thin the rubber sents a well drilled through a gas producing'- at the lower end and to elongate it to such an formation having my improved packer P, which extent that it bunches at thetop where its is inserted between adjacent sections of pipe, 30

movement is limited by the upper shoulder with making up a string of tubing T,vlowered therethe result that the packing element is not only into. The packer P comprises a cylindrical body subjected to excessive frictional Wear but the I0 having its upper end threaded inte a Coupling packing element may lock and cause the packer member II which is threaded onto the lower end to be set prematurely before it has been lowered 0f One Section 0f the tubing T The lower end 35 to the desired location in the well. With packers of the body I 0 is provided with an outwardly prohaving the upper end left free, this wiping action jectingflange I2 which forms alimit and a supof the gas causes the top of the packing element DOI fOr an annuler member I3 that iS Slidably to flutter and to teary into shreds, which is augv mounted on the body IIJ. The member I3 has a mented by the abrasive action of the sand or series of crcumferentially spaced openings I4 shale carried in the gas, thereby destroying the which. when the member iS in its lower position packing element. and supported on the iiange I2, cooperate or One object of the present invention is to proregister With Openings l5 formed in the body l0, vide a packer which may be readily lowered into and the member I3 iS normally held against gas producing well without damage to' the Sliding movement 0n the bOdy l0 by frngible 45 "packing element by the flow of a large volume pins I6 Which extend through the registering' of gas under high pressure past the packer. l Openings I4 and |5- Another object of this invention is to'provide A peeking element l1 0f general cylindrical a packer having a packer element so'constructed Shape. which may be made 0f rubber 0I' any Other that it will permit the gas to ilow past it readily suitable material, is slidably mounted on the body 50 and will not elongate or bunch and will not I0 and has it lower end supported on the member iiutter as a result of the gas ilow. l I3v and to which it is secured by screws I8 which vA further object is to provide a packer which extend through a metallic ring I9 secured to the is constructed to restrict the ow of gas past the element II and mounted in a recess 20 on the .top thereof to such an extent that the highest surface of the member I3. 55

The upper end of the packing element I1 is free and unsupported and the inner surface thereof is flared outwardly as at 22, to space it from the outer surface of the packer body I0. This free upper end of the packing element I1 is protected by a metallic ring 23 (Fig. 4) which is provided with a downwardly depending flange 24 having apertures 25 therein through which suitable strips 26, such as canvas duck, are threaded and molded into the packing element prior to the vulcanization thereof. The ring I9 is similar in construction and is attached to the lower end of the packing element I1 in the same manner that the-ring 23 is attached to the upper end thereof.

To actuate or set the packer, a sleeve 28 of substantially cylindrical form is threaded exteriorally to the member I3 and extends downwardly a substantial distance below the bottom of the body I0. The lower end of the sleeve 28 is reduced indiameter and is connected to the upper end of a section of tubing T by means of a collar or coupling 29.

When the lower end of the `string of tubing reaches the bottom of the well and cornes to rest thereon, the weight of the tubing T above the packer P shears the frangible pins I6 and permits the body I0 to telescope through the member I3 and move into the sleeve 28. This downward movement of the body relative to the packing element I1, which is held stationary, causes the coupling II to approach and enter the ared upper end of the packing element I1. Coupling member II is provided with three cylindrical steps 30, 3|, and 32, of successively increased diameter from the bottom to the top thereof, and as the coupling moves into the packing element I1, the free upper end of the packing element is successively engaged by each of the three. steps 30, 3|, and 32, and the packing element is consequently expanded. The coupling II is also provided with a seat 33 for receiving the ring 23 and with an. enlarged head or collar 34 which forms an upper abutment for the ring 23.

After all three of the steps 30, 3l, and 32 have exerted an expanding influence on the .packing element I1 the ring 23 on the free upper end thereof seats on the ring seat 33 confining the packing element I1 between the member I3 and the collar 34, and the continual pressure of the coupling II and the weight of the tubing T above -the packer exerts an expanding force on the packing element I1 which causes it to further expand and press firmly against the well bore W, thus sealing the space between the well bore and the tubing and preventing the flow of gas around the packer element.

So that the packer may be readily withdrawn from the well bore if the tubing breaks or comes loose from the packer P, the outer surface of the coupling II is provided with externally formed serrations 35 which are adapted to receive and cooperate with a suitable grappling or fishing tool by means of which the apparatus may be shed from the well bore.

'I'he collar 34 on the coupling II is considerably larger than the external diameters'of the annular member I3 and of the packing element I1, and consequently forms a ow restricting member and because of the lawv governing the behaviour of gases under various pressures the space between 'this ow resisting -collar 34 and the well bore W becomes the orice through which the gas passes at the greatest velocity as the packer is lowered into the well bore. As a result of this construction, a zone of highest gas l velocity is maintained above the top or free end of the packing element I1, which materially reduces fluttering and objectionable elongation of the packing element.

As a further result of the ow restricting collar 34, the point of destruction or disintegration of the well bore W, because of the velocity of the gas passing the packer, is localized above the rubber packing element I1, and such destruction or disintegration does not occur until after the packing element has passed below such point. Consequently, the blow of gravel, shale, etc., from the wall of the well W does not come into contact with the rubber packing element I1 and 'the abrasive action of such particles of gravel and shale on the rubber packing element is eliminated. From the foregoing it will be noted that enlarged flow restricting collar 34 on the coupling Il causes the retention of a higher gas pressure below it than above it due to the fact that the gas having once passed the collar expands rapidly and this maintenance of the higher gas pressure on the lower side of the area restricting collar notonly reduces the volume of the gas below the collar but also decreases its rate of flow. and therefore the gas has less tendency to whip the packing element, and, consequently, the danger of shredding or otherwise injuring of the packing element is materially reduced.

It is apparent that when a packer construction in accordance with my invention, with the lower end of the rubber packing element I1 rmly attached to the annular member I3 and the upper end free, is lowered into the well W, the movement of the gas past the element has a tendency to elongate it, but there is no expanding or bunching thereof since the upper end is free to move upwardly and the metallic ring 23 on the top of the packing element reduces uttering and prevents it from being whipped or frayed by the movement of the gas past the packing element.

Further, it will be noted that when the packer is set (Fig. 3), the ring 23 engages the ring seat 33 on the top coupling Il and the fabric 26 carried by the ring spreads out within the rubber packing element I1 in such a way as to form a basket and protect the rubber from being blown off the packer.

While it is old in the art to use metallic rings with perforated slots and fabric to connect the ring to the rubber packing element, I believe that I am the rst to use such a ring on a rubber packing element having its upper end free and spaced from the ring seat on which it is adapted to come into engagement in the process of setting. v

From the foregoing description of my inven` tion it is apparent that I have produced a device" for packing extremely deep gas wells having a large volume of flow therethrough and having high rock pressure in which the packing element Ais protected against damage, during the time it is being lowered into the well b ore, from the wiping and shredding action of the gas and the abrasive materials carried thereby, and since the velocity of the gas is highest at a point above the free end of the packing element the dow and pressure of gas adjacent the packing element is reduced and the whipping action of said gas on said packing element is substantially minimized or eliminated.

While I have described the collar 34 as having said packing element 3. A well packer comprising a body, a cylindrical resilient packing element carried by said tallic ring secured to 3 successively enlarged steps thereon which enter the free end of the packer element l1, it is to be understood that I am not limited to this particular member, but that any number of mul tiple steps may be formed on the collar 34 and that other modications, additions, subtractions, and omissions may be made in the packer illustrated in the drawing without departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.Y

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A well packer comprising a bodya cylindrical expansible element carried by said body, a member secured to said element and slidable over said body, -an area restricting member of larger diameter than said expansible element secured to said body, and means on said arearestricting member for expanding said element.

A 2. A well packer comprising a body, a packing element surrounding said body, a member secured to said element and movable relative to said body, a stepped expander carried by said body, and means associated with said expander for maintaining a higher velocity of gases above than adjacent thereto.

body, a member secured to said element and movable relative to said body, means secured to said body for expanding said element on movement of said member relative to said body, frangible means for connecting said member to said body, and an area restricting member of greater diameter than said packing element mounted on said body above said expansible element.

4. A well packer comprising a body, a cylindrical element surrounding said body and having the upper end thereof free and unsupported, the

inner surface of said element at the free end thereof flaring away from said body, a metallic ring attached to the iiared upper end of said element, and means for expanding said element.

5. A; well packer comprising a body, a cylindrical expansible element surrounding said body and having its upper end free and unsupported, the inner surface of said element at the free end thereof flaring away from said body, a solid methe flared end of said ele.- ment ior protecting the unsupported portion thereof from the whipping and shredding action of gases passing therearound, and means adapted to pass through said ring for expanding said element. v

6. A packer for use in gas wells having a high rock pressure comprising a body, an expansible element of cylindrical form surrounding said body and having its upper end free and unsupported, the inner surface at lthe free end thereof being flared away from said body, means for reducing the velocity of the gas adjacent the iiared end of said expansible element, and means for expanding said element.

7. A packer for use in gas wells'having a high rock pressure comprising a body, an expansible element of generally cylindrical shape surrounding said body and having'its upper end free and eter than said provided with a tapered inner surface, an area restricting member on said body of greater diamelement and spaced thereabove, means for protecting the tapered end of said element, and means for expanding said element.r`

8. A well packer comprising a tubular body, a memberslidably mounted on said body, a packing element surrounding said body and having its lower end secured to said member and its up- .per end free and unattached the inner surface of the free end thereof being tapered, a solid metallic ring secured to the upper end of said packer element, an expander secured to said body and having a ring seat thereon normally spaced above said ring,- and means for causing movement of said body relative to said member to move said element over said expander and position said ring on said seat.

9. A wellpacker comprising a tubular body, a member slidably mountedon said body, a packing element `surrounding said body and having its lower end secured to said member and its upper end free and unattached and ared away `from said body to receive an expander, a metal- 10. A well packer comprising a tubular body,

a member slidably mounted on said body, a packing element surrounding said body and having its lower end secured to said member and its upper end free and unattached, the upper end of said element having a ared inner'surface, a ringl secured to the ilared upper end of said element, a coupling mounted on said body and normally spaced above the upper end of said packing element, a series of successively enlarged steps on said coupling, a ring seat on said coupling above said steps, and means for moving said body and coupling relative to said member to move said steps into the iiared end of said packing element and position said ring on said seat.

11. A well packed comprising a tubular body, a member slidably mounted on said body, a packing element surrounding said body and having its lower end secured to said member and its upper end free and unattached; the upper end of said element having a flared inner surface, a ring secured to the flared upper end of said element, a coupling mounted on said body and normally spaced above the upper end of said packing element, a series of successively enlarged steps on said coupling, a ring seat on said coupling above said steps, a collar on said coupling above said ring seat and having a diameter greater than the diameter of said member and said packing element, and means for moving said body and coupling relative to said member to move said steps into the flared end of said packing element and position said ring on said seat.

12. A Well packer comprising a tubular body, a member slidably mounted on said body, a packing element surrounding said body and having its lower end secured to said member and its upper end free and unattached, the upper end of said element having a ared inner surface, a ring secured to the ilared upper end of said element, a coupling mounted on said body and normally spaced above the upper end of said packing element, a series of successively enlarged steps on said coupling, a ring seat on said coupling above said steps, a collar on said coupling above said ring seat and having a diameter greater than the dameter of said member and said packing element, frangible means for holding said member stationary relative to said body,

and means 15 for shearing said frangible means and cause said body to move relative to said member to move said steps into the ared end of said packing eleity adjacent said element, and means for moving said packing element relative to said body. FERDINAND J. SPANG.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

l Page 5, first insert packing; and

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Patents.

Acting Commissioner of 

